EuroCommerce Supports EU Plans for a Simpler and Faster Europe

EuroCommerce has expressed its support for the communication on implementation and simplification, outlining the EU’s plans for a simpler and faster Europe.

The initiative aims to streamline legislation and reduce administrative burdens. However, the retail and wholesale sector is concerned that the lack of adequate consultation time and clarity could undermine these ambitious objectives.

Furthermore, EuroCommerce warns that pursuing a regulation to combat late payments contradicts the goal of simplification.

Christel Delberghe, Director General of EuroCommerce, praised the Commission for reflecting on its suggestions from the Better Regulation Checklist in the communication.

“It is encouraging that the Commission intends to listen more. Now, it must go beyond rhetoric. We need to see a real commitment to engagement, with sufficient time to provide meaningful responses to consultations and explain the impact on our business models,” said Delberghe.

The Commission’s Roadmap for Reducing Administrative Burdens

The Commission’s roadmap seeks to reduce administrative and reporting burdens by 25%, with an even more ambitious 35% target for SMEs. Retailers and wholesalers acknowledge that simplifying regulations and improving due diligence procedures are important steps forward.

However, they argue that many previous consultations have been rushed, failed to consider the impact, or lacked the necessary clarity for businesses to provide informed feedback.

In many cases, timelines have been too tight, limiting opportunities for engagement and leaving companies struggling to fully understand the implications of proposed changes. In other instances, the fast pace has led to insufficient analysis of the impact on different business models, making legislative costs far higher than anticipated and risking real harm.

EuroCommerce has emphasized how this undermines businesses' ability to invest and remain competitive and how, in many cases, rules become impossible to implement when translated from policy into practice.

Concerns Over the Late Payment Regulation Proposal

The Commission’s 2025 Work Programme does not withdraw its proposal for a regulation on combating late payments. EuroCommerce regrets the Commission’s decision to pursue flexibility within the limits of the existing proposal.

“How can companies improve their competitiveness when agreeing on a payment schedule requires a complicated regulation that does not align with their business needs?” Delberghe questioned.

“A one-size-fits-all payment deadline is not suitable for companies that need to negotiate terms based on their circumstances.”

A Call for Coherence and Competitiveness

The 2025 European Commission Work Programme presents a demanding agenda that must be coherent and clearly focused on competitiveness—particularly for sectors such as retail and wholesale.